I shuttered in excitement as I spread my wings as the sun rose and the call of the Morning Song crescendoed. This time, I will fly for the entire song! I practiced for days! When beckoned, I leaped off of the branch with a tweet as I joined the flock in the intricate choir.

I allowed the Morning Song filled my being with all positive emotions — joy, hope, elation, and more all in one package. Though slightly off-key, I sang as I twisted in complex maneuvers I could only perform under the sunrise's guidance.

Every sunrise was different, and as was our song and dance. A single cloud partially obscured the sun, but the hope that the sun will overcome the cloud rang in our tune. I added my hopes to each note.

I twirled around a golden dragonet, then dove with a spin as the sunlight glinted off of my black scales. When I reached the bottom of the column that was our dance floor, I opened my wings and rose with a single wingbeat. The notes of my song rose and fell with each of my movements. Then, I flipped upside down and slipped past a silver dragonet as the joyous celebration of life continued.

The strain in my muscles began to distract me from the Morning Song, and I barely dodged a larger dragonet as they continued to follow the guidance of the song. I can do this! I felt the end approach, but my breath was already ragged. With a sigh, I recognized I had fallen out of the sun's guidance.

I reluctantly wove through the other dragonets, then landed on the ground with the other tired fledglings as the song came to a close. I glanced at Luis, my silver-scaled brother, who landed earlier.

Suddenly, four rods taller than me shot out of the ground around me. I squeaked in surprise, then panicked as lights flashed from each pillar. Angry shrieks arrived as mom and dad each tackled a pole while I scrambled away. After a few clumsy bounds, I spread my wings and flew into the safely of the nearest tree.

"Melanie, are you ok?" Mom's words rang with undertones of worry.

"I... I think so..." I trembled as I watched the clearing as the rest of my family joined me in my chosen tree. "What was that?" My words resonated with fear in the mindlink.

"No idea," Mom slowly replied as she and Dad sniffed my over, "but I don't think it did anything. We must have destroyed it before it captured you." When both of them finished, mom mantled her red wing over me in a dragonet hug, and I snuggled close to her.

Dad's eyes glazed over for a moment as he mindlinked someone else. When he finished, the older dragonet spoke to us."I will stay here and watch what the Kymari do. You three should fly farther away from here. I will keep you updated."

Mom nuzzled him and thrummed, then focused on my brother and me. "Let's go to the small pond and start your swimming lessons."

"Swim?" Luis questioned as both of us conjured up images of dragonets diving and playing in the water from the reservoir of knowledge known as the Blood Memories. "I don't know about that."

"You'll love it," Dad nuzzled both of us, then turned and flew into a different tree in a streak of purple scales. "I will keep everyone updated."

Mom nuzzled us in assurance as she removed her wing from my back. "This is stressful for two week-old fledglings lets have some fun." She took off and flew above the trees, and Luis and I followed her.

After a few minutes of flying, we landed next to the pond, where a few dragonets sunbathed on the sandy bank. The small stream that fed the shallow pool caused the shaded waters to swirl slightly.

Mom nudged us towards the edge of the water with her wings. "It's safe," she assured with a gentle croon, "Now go in."

Luis entered the water, then chirped and shivered. "Cold!"

"I don't wanna go in if it's— Ack!" I squeaked as Mom effortlessly pushed me into the water. "Cold!" I squealed as I flared my wings.

Luis squeaked as water droplets scattered against his scales, then returned the volley with a splash of his own. Soon, the two of us descended into an all-out water fight. I tried to use my tail to splash him, but he dodged and flared his wings.

Just as the water from his attack reached me, a wall of water consumed us. We both froze in our fight, then looked to Mom as she grinned at us.

"Team up?" I grinned as I asked Luis in a private mindlink while Mom remained unaware of our plans.

"Absolutely!" He replied privately as a grin spread across his face.

We both splashed Mom, but she was more than three times our size, the attack did not seem to affect her. "Catch me if you can!" She fled into deeper water.

I followed her and followed the guide of the Blood Memories when I could no longer feel the sandy pond bottom beneath my paws. Swimming is fun! I happily paddled in a circle. "Luis! Come help me win the splash war!"

My brother hesitated at the point where the tips of his feet could still reach. "I don't know about this..."

Mom cooed and beckoned him over with her head."I'm right here, sweetie. If anything happens, I am right here to help you."

Luis slowly approached with his ear tuffs pressed flat against his head. Though he initially panicked, after a moment, a wide grin spread across my silver brother's face as he happily paddled over to us.

"Good job!" Mom nuzzled him.

"Now, you can help me win the splash war!" I gleefully trilled as I splashed Mom again, and Luis happily joined in on my efforts.

"The Kymari were just scanning Melanie," the three of us paused the water battle as Dad mindlinked us. "They covered the clearing with those scanner rods weeks ago. They know it's one of our favorite spots to sing. If I understand, they saw Melanie when the snake attacked her and wanted to make sure she was healthy. Since she is perfectly fine, they aren't going to capture her."

Mom's ear tuffs flattened as she snorted both physically and across the mindlink, "she's melanistic, not sick. Melanie is perfect the way she is."

Dad sent his wordless agreement to us. "I'll be there shortly once the Kymari finish removing all the poles."

Melanistic? Now that I had the word, the Blood Memories provided a plethora of mental images of black panthers and squirrels. I now understood a rare mutation in my genes caused my black scales. Is that why I'm the only black dragonet I've seen?

A wave of water splashed over my head, and I blinked, then looked to my red-scaled opponent. I mimicked her playful grin, then used my wings to scatter water droplets over her. As the water splattered against her body, my brother joined me in the battle.

Suddenly, Mom disappeared. "What?" My brother and I chittered as we frantically looked around.

I noticed a red blur beneath the water. Diving, the Blood Memories reminded as Mom re-emerged from the depths. I followed my instincts as I eagerly tried it. My nose automatically closed as I submerged my head, and I swam beneath the water by moving my tail and paddling with my legs and wings. After a few seconds, I emerged on the other side of mom and splashed her with an eager warble.

Mom sent me a proud feeling. I grinned to her, then squawked as a mass of shiny silver scales suddenly appeared beneath me and splashed me. "Hey! We're on the same side! Splash Mom, not me!"

Mom laughed slightly, then stopped as Luis and I splashed her with water. However, she quickly returned with a volley of her own.

Suddenly, the wind picked up, and a crack rang above us.

"LOOK OUT!" Mom cried in a panic.

I looked up to see a leafless branch plummet towards me. It's going to fall on me! I quickly dove out of the way, and the twig harmlessly splatted against the water's surface. I watched it from under the water, then swam back up when I began to run low on air.

"Mel! Are you ok?" Mom worriedly approached and nuzzled me. "Did it hit you? Does anywhere hurt?"

"I dove underwater before it landed on me." I returned Mom's nuzzle, then looked towards my previous attacker, then blinked as I noticed it was only as thick as my arm. "I'm not sure if that small branch would have hurt if it hit me."

"I would rather be safe than sorry," Mom sighed in relief.

"At this rate, you should be called Bad Luck Mel—ACK!" Mom dunked Luis under the water before he could finish.

The splash war immediately resumed.

Author Notes!
I hope everyone is having a great day! What did you think of this chapter? I would love to hear your thoughts!